John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet: A Translation

[dateline] 22 March [1780]

Mr. Adams sends his sincere compliments to Mr. Genet and thanks him for the British
gazettes. Mr. Adams would like Mr. Genet to please inform him when, and to whom, the
payment for these gazettes should be made.

In addition, Mr. Adams would like to know if the rumor spread yesterday concerning
some change in the British ministry has any foundation. Also the rumor concerning
a quintuple alliance between the northern powers and Holland &c. and yet another that
the British are once more about to make false and insidious proposals to America.

Such is Mr. Genet's punishment for having written to Mr. Adams in English.1

1. Under cover of a brief note of 18 March, written in English (Adams Papers), Genet had sent JA copies of the Morning Post and the General Advertiser. For JA's original request to Genet to write to him in French, see JA to Genet, 1 Aug. 1778 (vol. 6:337–338).